MIAA Baseball Athletes of the Week

For week of action ending March 22

HITTER:
Andrew Hansen, 2B
University of Nebraska-Omaha

Hansen, a 6-foot-0, 185-pound junior from Lakeville, Minn., hit .462 (12-of-26) with a home run, nine runs batted in and 10 runs scored as the Mavericks won five of six last week and returned to the national ranking at No. 23.

He had hits in every game last week to extend his hitting streak to eight games, and has at least one RBI in his last four games -- all against Southwest Baptist.

Hansen capped his week by going 6-for-9 with two doubles, a home run and six RBI in the Saturday doubleheader sweep of the Bearcats in Bolivar. He was 3-for-5 in the first game, singling and scoring in both the first and fourth innings before hitting a two-run double in the fifth as UNO claimed a 10-1 win.

During the 12-3 victory in the nightcap, Hansen was 3-for-4 -- his two-run homer in third gave the Mavericks a 3-1 lead, then he hit a run-scoring double in the eighth to break a 3-3 tie. He added a bases-loaded walk in UNO's seven-run ninth, also scoring in the frame.

He was 3-for-7 with two runs scored in the Mavs' doubleheader split at Missouri Western Wednesday (March 18). Hansen drew a walk and scored the first run in a five-run fifth inning of game one as UNO claimed a 6-4 win. He was 2-for-4 and scored his squad's only run during a 2-1 game two loss.

Hansen is a graduate of Lakeview High School and transferred to UNO from Union (Tenn.) University following his sophomore season.

Others nominated: Connor Crumbliss, CF, ESU; Brady Ellis, C, MWSU; Juan Hernandez, CF, MSSU; Thomas Holiday, OF, WU; Taylor House, OF, PSU.

Previous winners: 2/24 -- Kenny Burkhead, 1B, ESU; 3/3 -- Alex Harvey, 3B, FHSU; 3/10 -- Taylor House, OF, PSU; 3/17 -- Kenny Burkhead, 1B, ESU.

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PITCHER:
A.J. Huttenlocker, LHP
Missouri Western State University

Huttenlocker, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound senior from Buckley, Wash., went 2-0 with a 2.03 ERA in two starts last week for the Griffons.

He tossed a complete game six-hitter against Nebraska-Omaha Wednesday (March 18), allowing one earned run and two walks while sitting down 13 on strikes. Huttenlocker retired three of the first four batters he faced on strikes and fanned two of the last three to come to the plate -- 100 of his 140 pitches in the game were for strikes.

In a 7-3, seven-inning win over Upper Iowa Sunday (March 24), he struck out six and walked one while allowing five hits and two earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. He retired 12 of the first 15 batters faced vs. the Peacocks.

Huttenlocker is a graduate of White River High School, and transferred to MWSU from Edmonds (Wash.) Community College.

Others nominated: Ryan Anthony, LHP, ESU; Trent Kavanaugh, RHP, PSU; Chris Kessinger, RHP, UNO; Carter Lance, RHP, MSSU; Andrew Miller, RHP, WU.

Previous winners: 2/24 -- Brooks Martin, RHP, UCM; 3/2 -- Eric Gilliland, LHP, FHSU; 3/10 -- C.J. Maffei, LHP, MSSU; 3/17 -- Chris Matlock, RHP, UCM.

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MIAA Softball Athletes of the Week

For week of action ending March 22

HITTER:
Brittany Douglas, RF
Missouri Western State University

Douglas, a 5-foot-8 sophomore from St. Louis, Mo., hit .500 (10-of-20) with six runs scored as the Griffons went 8-0 last week to extend their winning stfreak to 20 games.

She had a hit in each of her first six games to extend her hitting streak to nine before being held hitless against Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) Sunday (March 22) during the MWSU Ramada Inn Classic. Douglas did reach on an error and score during a three-run first inning as the Griffons claimed a 4-2 win.

She also drew four walks and was hit by a pitch during the week, giving her an on-base percentage of .583.

Douglas was 3-for-4 in the doubleheader sweep at Drury (Mo.) March 17. She singled and scored in the first inning of game two, as Western claimed a 2-0 win.

The next day, Douglas was 3-for-6 with three runs scored, including the tying run in the sixth inning of game two as she scored on Amanda Nocita's go-ahead homer in a 6-5 victory.

Douglas is a graduate of Parkway North High School.

Others nominated: Miranda Campbell, 3B, ESU; Adrian Mohr, OF/P, FHSU.

Previous winners: 2/24 -- Ashley Hudson, SS, MWSU; 3/3 -- Krysta Baderdeen, 3B, SBU; 3/10 -- Amanda DeCastro, UT, PSU; 3/17 -- Whitney Clute, 3B/P, MSSU.

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PITCHER:
Allison Jones, RHP
Missouri Western State University

Jones, a 5-foot-7 sophomore from Mitchellville, Iowa, extended her winning streak to 13 decisions by going 5-0 with a 0.68 earned run average in five appearances (four starts) for the Griffons last week.

She started the week with a 10-inning, 1-0 win at Drury (Mo.) March 17. Jones scattered three hits, struck out eight and walked none. She retired the first 14 Panthers she faced before giving up a single in the fifth inning, and sat down the final seven batters in the game.

Two days later against Northwest Missouri State, Jones allowed five hits in five innings with three strikeouts in game one, then came on in relief during game two and struck out five in a 6-5 win to get the decision in both ends of the twinbill.

Her run of consecutive scoreless innings pitched ended at 23 1/3 during the MWSU Ramada Inn Classic Saturday (March 21) against Wayne (Neb.) State, when the Wildcats touched her for a run in the fourth inning of a 4-2 win.

Jones is a graduate of Pleasant Hill (Iowa)-Southeast Polk High School.

Others nominated: Jennifer Heerey, RHP, ESU; Kayla Rupa, LHP, FHSU; Lindsey Slocum, LHP, UNO.

Previous winners: 2/24 -- Beth Haley, LHP, UNO; 3/3 -- Josie Rose, RHP, SBU; 3/10 -- Lindsey Slocum, LHP, UNO; 3/17 -- Melissa Slayden, RHP, PSU.

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MIAA Tennis Athletes of the Week

For the week of competition ending March 22

MEN'S:
Branden Joost
Washburn University

Joost, a 6-foot-0, 175-pound junior from Teceumseh, Kan., went 2-0 in No. 1 singles and 2-0 in No. 1 doubles with partner Brad Johnston as the No. 34-ranked Ichabods posted a pair of wins last week.

At Dallas Baptist (Texas) Friday (March 20), he and Johnston first picked up an 8-6 win in double over Bronson Vaughan and Brett Stickler. Joost then downed Stickler in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, as Washburn blanked the Patriots, 9-0.

The next day against No. 33 East Central (Okla.), he and Johnston battled to a 9-8 win over Cristobal Nunez and Camilo Munoz. Joost then dispatched Nunez by scores of 6-1 and 6-4 to help the Ichabods claim a 5-0 win.

Joost is a graduate of Shawnee Heights High School, and transferred to WU from the University of Arkansas after his sophomore season.

Others nominated: Ryan Harris, ESU; Martin Zsiga, SBU.

Previous winners: 3/17 -- Felippe Gennari, NWMSU.

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WOMEN'S:
Ellen Russell
Truman State University

Russell, a 5-foot-8 freshman from Clinton, Iowa, was 3-0 in both No. 4 singles and No. 2 doubles with partner Amy Ochs as the Bulldogs remained undefeated on the season with three wins last week, including a pair of victories to open MIAA play.

She and Ochs posted an 8-3 win over Camila Araujo and Tamila Bilalova of Lincoln (Mo.), before handing Araujo a 6-3, 6-1 defeat as Truman posted an 8-1 home win over the Blue Tigers March 17.

Russell helped the Bulldogs to their first triumph over Southwest Baptist since 2005 Friday (March 20), when she and Ochs teamed up for an 8-0 win over Jenna Hendrickson and Trish Moceo to go along with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 victory in singles against Moceo. Truman earned a 6-3 win over the Bearcats.

The next day at Missouri Southern, Russell and Ochs posted an 8-0 win over Becca Sterling and Laura Skimbo in doubles before Russell downed Sterling in singles, 6-2, 6-0 en route to an 8-1 victory over the Lions

Russell, now 16-2 in singles on the season, is a graduate of Clinton High School.

Also nominated: Rachel Faulk, UNO; Amanda Morris, ESU; Laura Rutten, MWSU.

Previous winners: 3/17 -- Rachel Faulk, UNO.

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MIAA Men's Golf Athlete of the Week

For the week of competition ending March 22

Matt Ewald
Washburn University

Ewald, a 6-foot-0, 185-pound senior from Leawood, Kan., tied for third place at the California State-Monterey Bay Otter Invitational which concluded March 17.

Ewald finished with a 6-over 222 (77-73-72) for three rounds including an even-par 72 in the final round -- the lowest round for the Ichabods in the tournament. He extended his string of 2008-09 events finishing no worse than fifth to seven.

His efforts helped the Ichabods finish fourth in the tournament against a field of predominantly California Division II schools. WU carded a four-man, 54-hole score of 922 -- 21 shots behind the winners from California State-San Bernardino.

Ewald, No.1 in the GolfStat NCAA Division II Head-to-Head Ranking, is a graduate of Blue Valley North High School.

Others nominated: Justin Yoder, UCM.

Previous winners: 9/22 -- Justin Yoder, UCM; 10/13 -- Justin Yoder, UCM; 3/17 -- Matt Ewald, WU.

-- MIAA --